At only eighteen and determined for adventure, Sue accepted her place at the WRAC college at Camberley in 1971. Being born into a military family Sue knew from a young age that she would join the army. In her interview she recalls the discipline and regimen of military life, but most importantly her pride at wearing her WRAC uniform. After Commissioning, Sue spent her first ten years in the WRAC recruiting, training or selecting women to be either WRAC Officers or Servicewomen. She was also involved in the training of Warrant Officers, Senior and Junior NCO’s and the selection of WRAC Junior Leaders. Sue reflects on this period with great fondness. Her extensive experience led to her selection to command one of the big three WRAC Companies. Sue was sent to Rheindahlen, Germany, and put in charge of 250 Servicewomen, a role which in many ways marked the pinnacle of her career. Remembering the Guildford bombing, Sue discusses its deep resonation with the women around her and the impact of other IRA attacks which she continued to feel through until the late 1980s. After leaving Rheindahlen in 1989, Sue went to work in the WRAC Directorate. Following the disbandment of the WRAC in 1992, Sue embarked on a seventeen-year career in the Adjutant General’s Corps. When that ended, Sue decided to commit her time to the WRAC Association to ensure its traditions and camaraderie lived on. She became its Vice President and Chairman of Trustees for Eleven years (2003 - 2014) and was awarded an MBE for her services to female veterans in 2014. She is now a Life Vice President of the WRAC Association and continues to give her time and experience to the Charity. A brilliant interview, we thank Sue for being an example of the many trailblazing women of the WRAC.

Stephen Murtagh joined the Army at 16, determined to build a better future for himself. Serving with 5 Rifles, he trained as an infantryman before becoming a dog handler – a role that saw him forge a powerful bond with his military working dog, Chance. Together they trained in Germany and the United States before deploying to Afghanistan, where Chance played a vital role on patrols searching for improvised explosive devices.

In his interview, Stephen shares vivid memories of Army life, from the camaraderie of training to the intensity of combat operations. He speaks openly about the day he was seriously injured by an IED, losing his leg at just 18 years old, and the remarkable determination that carried him through recovery.

Beyond his service, Stephen reflects on the challenges of adapting to life after injury, his battles with mental health, and his drive to support others through new work and ambitions. His story is one of resilience, honesty, and the unbreakable bond between a soldier and his dog.

Eric Coombes was born in Hertfordshire, in a little village named Shenley, just outside of London. As a boy, he remembers seeing London on fire after it was bombed during World War II. When he turned 18 years old he was called up for national service and was sent to Blenheim Camp, St Edmunds, for six weeks of basic training. After that, he continued his training for 10 weeks in the Royal Norfolk regiment. After training, he was deployed to Korea; Eric was really excited for his deployment, as it gave him the chance to travel the world for the first time. He remembers the crossing going well, he kept himself occupied with bingo, exercising, and at times, going ashore for a couple of hours when the ship pulled into port. Once landing in Hong Kong, they were put through a stiff training routine, learning how to use mortars and other weaponry. His regiment was then sent on its way to Pusan, Korea. On the way into Korea, Eric remembers the sound of heavy artillery fire not far away from where he was. When he arrived in Pusan, he had a couple of days to get comfortable before he started working. Eric’s role was mortar support, he recalls the very detailed way in which mortars work and how he used his training to operate them. His first experience with loss came when two of the people he signed up with were killed whilst on patrol, he remembers this being a very sad time. On another occasion, Eric remembers hearing about a company of soldiers being captured whilst on patrol. At the time he hoped they were captured by the Chinese, as stories spread about how horrible the Korean prison camps were. For Eric, the scariest time was being mortared whilst in a valley, his platoon had to quickly fall back whilst mortars were being dropped behind them. Eric wishes there could be no wars and talks about the tragic loss of life for both sides. He left Korea in September 1952.